


Revisiting

by yeaka



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 20:31:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16394603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Aqua returns to the Castle of Dreams.





	Revisiting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kingdom Hearts or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The castle’s as full as it was during her last visit, but it _feels_ empty, because it’s much too vast. It takes an absurdly long time to stroll down the long entrance way and scale the grand staircase, follow another three corridors and two towers up, and Aqua can’t run like she wants to; this isn’t the time to be wild. She even dressed differently, trying to be _normal_ , at least by this world’s standards. Her dress is simple and blue and feels much too plain. But Terra—albeit filled with laughter—said he liked it. And Ventus told her she looked _pretty_.

Aqua’s grateful for it. It gives her confidence, even though she still feels silly. A few of the servants and guests she passes give her a second look, maybe for her bright blue hair, but only a few. Then she reaches her destination, and pleasant anticipation overcomes her nerves. 

She knocks on the tall door. It’s already cracked open a hair, and she can hear the humming through it—a soft, sweet melody that makes her think of dancing. The tune stops at her knock, and a familiar voice calls, “Come in!”

She does, just as a servant slips out, carrying a bundle of laundry and smiling merrily. Aqua’s quite sure that Cinderella treats her attendants far better than she was ever treated herself. Aqua already finds the smile coming to her face too, because Cinderella turns to look at her with such unadulterated _joy_ , even though they didn’t know each other very long.

Sometimes, friends don’t take much. Not with a heart as brilliant as Cinderella’s. She greets, “ _Aqua_ , oh, I’m so glad you came,” and sweeps over to offer up her arms. Aqua steps into them, accepting the warm hug that follows. Cinderella squeezes her tight, then steps away again, practically aglow. 

She’s dressed much differently than she once was. Her dress has even less to it, but that’s because it’s clearly an under-thing, light and lacy and shimmering in the sunlight through the window—somehow, she makes the slip luxurious. Her golden hair is meticulously brushed about her shoulders, pearl earrings already in and a glittering band atop her head. The elegant attire doesn’t change her beauty: she was always pretty. But she gives Aqua the once-over and announces first, “Why, you look lovely!”

“Thank you,” Aqua answers, and she bows her head, because Cinderella is a princess now, even if she’s as humble as they come. “I’m sorry to interrupt when you must have a very busy morning, but I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help...”

“Why, not at all. It’s all been quite nice actually, everyone’s chipping in—I feel very lucky to be surrounded by so many generous people.” As though to punctuate her point, the door opens again, and another woman comes in with a bouquet of flowers to set down on the desk. Cinderella pauses to tell her, “Thank you, Belle,” and ‘Belle’ absolutely beams as she leaves. Cinderella continues to Aqua, “Oh, but actually—do you think you could help me with my dress? I normally don’t need any help dressing, but there are all these ties in the back...”

“Of course.” 

“Thank you.” Shifting away from the dresser, Cinderella strolls to the bed, where an enormous white dress is waiting, full of bows and sashes and stones that sparkle like stars. Aqua reaches out to take it, but Cinderella plucks it up first, holding it out before herself and stepping nimbly inside. Aqua moves around her to see the back as she hikes it up—there’s a corseted crisscross of ribbon all the way to her waist. Cinderella holds the dress against her front while Aqua starts to pull them into the shape of Cinderella’s slender form. 

“It really was nice of you to come,” Cinderella hums as Aqua works. “I know you must be from very far away, and you seemed in such a hurry to go last time, but you were so very instrumental in us getting together in the first place!”

“Oh, I didn’t do much,” Aqua insists, because all she really did was help a mouse cross a room and offer to try on a shoe. And perhaps a little bit of encouragement afterwards and a stern warning to a few particular women while Cinderella made her transition away from them. And maybe some reconnaissance to make sure the relative stranger Cinderella was leaving for was actually a decent person. The whole romance is a bit whirlwind for her, but it’s a different world that does things differently. The important thing is: “You seem happy with him.”

“Oh, I am! He really is the man of my dreams. You know how it is when you find someone you just couldn’t live without, who lifts you up and makes every day that little bit better.”

“Yes, I do.” It’s not in the same way that Cinderella means, but she _does_ know a man like that. Two, in fact. She still wishes she’d managed to drag them along. When she finishes with the dress, she announces, “All done.”

Cinderella twists around, trying to see, then drifts back to the dresser and peers at herself in the mirror. She spins in her dress, making the large skirt swirl and pick up off the floor. In its own way, it’s a gorgeous piece, though not as gorgeous as the woman in it. 

Sighing, Cinderella turns to Aqua. Almost breathless with emotion, she says, “I think I’m ready.”

As if on queue, the music starts. It wafts in through the doorway, immediately drawing Cinderella’s wide-eyed gaze. Then she takes Aqua’s hand and walks them out towards it. 

The festivities overtake Aqua. Whatever else happens in the universe, she lets herself enjoy the day, and sincerely hopes that this world always stays so wonderful.


End file.
